


A Thousand Lifetimes Ago

by aural_stimulatn



Category: DCU, DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-30
Updated: 2011-01-30
Packaged: 2017-10-15 06:14:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aural_stimulatn/pseuds/aural_stimulatn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Renee Montoya was fifteen years old, she learned something very important about herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Thousand Lifetimes Ago

“Did you see this, I mean, oh my God, did you _see_ it??” Maria Reyes bounded down the halls of Gotham High’s west wing holding a newspaper.

Renee only needed a quick glance, but she was pretty sure she already knew what her best friend was talking about. “Yeah, it’s pretty neat, huh?”

Maria skipped in front of Renee holding the newspaper in her friend’s face, forcing her to read the headline: Batman Snags Another Baddie! The picture was blurry and grainy, but it was definitely him, the Caped Crusader that had all of Gotham abuzz. “Pretty neat? That’s all you can say? He’s completely amazing, and I hope he gets to save me from danger someday!”

Renee eyed her friend with a half-cocked brow, wondering if she was actually crazy enough to put herself in danger, just to meet the Batman. Part of her was afraid Maria actually might try. “Cool your jets, _chica_ ,” she warned, “Don’t go off and do something crazy. Besides, he’s a grown man—what’re you expecting from him?”

“Renee, Maria, wait up!” a voice called after them down the hall. Petite and perky Anne Jones hustled to catch up with them. “Look what my aunt sent me from Metropolis!”

As Anne finally caught up with them, she ripped open her jacket with the enthusiasm of a flasher. “That’s awesome,” Renee said, as Anne exposed her bright blue t-shirt containing a large picture of Superman’s face—stoic and fresh, like a politician. Very bright, especially when compared to the dark and grainy picture of Batman that Maria was wanting her to fawn over.

Maria just rolled her eyes. “Please. Batman is about a thousand times cooler than Superman—I’ll bet you’ve never even been to Metropolis!”

Anne’s normally bright eyes darkened as she tossed a lock of jet blond hair over her shoulder. “Actually, Miss Thing, I go to Metropolis every summer. And Superman is three times the hero that Batman will ever b—”

“You take that back!” Maria was shouting, and moving closer to Anne.

“Geez, guys, take it easy!” Renee strategically stepped between the two girls who were dangerously close to coming to blows. “This is kind of dumb, don’t you think? Fighting over who the better hero is?”

Anne shot her a nasty look. “Oh come on, Renee. Like you’re so much more mature than we are. You probably fantasize about Superman crawling in through your window every night! I know I do…”

“Are you high?” Maria exclaimed, “Of course she doesn’t dream about Superman, why would she? She lives in Gotham; girls here like their men tall, dark, and wrapped in leather.”

After a moment of quiet, Renee realized both girls were waiting for her to speak, as if her decision would settle their ridiculous debate.

“Well,” Anne said, with a provocative look in her eye, “which is it?”

“I—” Renee meant to say something, but suddenly lost her words. She had never thought about it before. _Is that normal?_ “I don’t.”

“What do you mean, you ‘don’t’?” Maria’s animosity toward Anne suddenly forgotten, she focused on teasing Renee.

Renee shrugged. Of course she found Batman fascinating. Somehow, just knowing he was out there made her feel safer at night. But crawling in her window? “I don’t know, I just … don’t … think about either of them like that. I never really gave it a lot of thought.”

Anne and Maria shared a look that Renee couldn’t quite read before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. Maria spoke: “Cripes, Renee, you’re such a private person! We’re your best friends, for crying out loud. You can tell us how you really feel about the Caped Crusader—or the weenie from Metropolis, whatever trips your trigger.”

Renee just shook her head. “Sorry, guys, I don’t know what else to say.” She was starting to get the feeling that maybe she was the strange one. _Why won’t they let it go?_

At home, Renee headed straight for her bedroom, still thinking about her best friends and their silly crushes on superheroes. As she closed her bedroom door, she turned to face the oversized poster that hung on the back of it. _It’s not the same,_ she thought to herself as she stared at the heroic figure, _is it?_

She turned away quickly as her heart started beating faster. It was exactly the same.

“Wonder Woman,” she said to herself, almost silently, and for the first time ever. “I think I feel that way about Wonder Woman.”


End file.
